HEADLINES

Raiders Release Tyvon Branch

March 3rd, 2015 at 4:15pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 3: The Raiders have officially announced the release of Branch (Twitter link).

FEBRUARY 26: The Raiders will release safety Tyvon Branch, according to CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora (Twitter link).

At 28, Branch has been with the Raiders for seven seasons, although the strong safety missed all but five games in the past two years with injuries after starting all 62 of a possible 64 games in the previous four years. Branch, however, carried by far the highest cap number on the Raiders’ roster at $9.7MM this season, likely leading to his venture onto the free agent market.

The Raiders, who already possessed more than $54MM worth of salary cap space, will only save $2.9MM by making this move as Branch’s deal carried nearly $7MM in dead money, per OverTheCap. The league’s 11th-highest-paid safety had three more seasons left on his second contract with the team. Behind only the Jaguars, the Raiders have the second-most cap space in the league.

Branch will enter a modest safety market that houses Devin McCourty, assuming the Patriots don’t franchise him, along with Rahim Moore and Da’Norris Searcy.

Giants Considering Run At Ndamukong Suh

March 3rd, 2015 at 3:11pm CST by Luke Adams

Although it seems “improbable” on the surface, the Giants are believed to be considering a run at Ndamukong Suh, assuming he reaches the open market next week, sources tell Ralph Vacchiano of the New York Daily News.

The Lions elected not to place the franchise tag on Suh yesterday, and his potential suitors are starting to come out of the woodwork — Washington is said to have interest, while the Dolphins have been identified as a possible wild card candidate. As I noted while discussing Washington’s interest, there aren’t many teams in the NFL that wouldn’t love to add Suh to the mix on the defensive line, so a ton of times will likely kick the tires on him if given the opportunity.

For the Giants, defensive line isn’t necessarily a top priority, since the team used its own franchise tag on Jason Pierre-Paul yesterday, and has Johnathan Hankins as an anchor on the interior. However, adding Suh to the mix to complement JPP, Hankins, and pass rusher Robert Ayers would give New York one of the best defensive fronts in the NFL.

Of course, cap space would be a concern for the Giants. At the moment, the club has about $13MM in room, which could be enough to accommodate Suh, depending on how a contract is structured and what other moves are forthcoming. However, it wouldn’t leave much flexibility to address other areas of need — a team source tells Vacchiano that New York is unlikely to engage in a bidding war. On top of that, if the team hopes to work out a longer-term arrangement with Pierre-Paul, investing so heavily on two defensive lineman could come back to haunt the team down the road.

While there may ultimately be too many roadblocks for the Giants to get serious about pursuing Suh, the team’s reported interest is another sign that the star defender will have more than just a handful of suitors as he nears unrestricted free agency.

Ravens Ask Lardarius Webb To Take Pay Cut

March 3rd, 2015 at 2:07pm CST by Luke Adams

The Ravens are asking cornerback Lardarius Webb to reduce his salary for the 2015 season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (via Twitter). Webb’s contract calls for an $8MM base salary this coming year, to go along with a $12MM cap number.

Webb didn’t escape unscathed during a 2014 season in which the Ravens’ secondary was decimated by injuries. The veteran corner missed three games early in the year with a lower back injury, and appeared to be somewhat hampered by those back issues throughout the season. Webb’s season-long grade on Pro Football Focus (subscription required) reflected those injury problems — he ranked 78th out of 108 qualified cornerbacks in 2014 after grading as a top-20 corner in 2013.

With Webb’s cap hit set to jump from $7.5MM to $12MM, it’s unclear if the Ravens would cut him if he refuses to take a pay cut — since he still has $10MM in prorated bonus money left on his deal over the next three seasons, releasing him would create just $2MM in cap savings if he’s not designated as a post-June 1 cut. Additionally, if he’s healthy again for the 2014 season, the Ravens could use Webb’s presence in the secondary.

Whether or not Webb returns for 2015, the Ravens are expected to add cornerbacks this offseason to help solidify a group led by Jimmy Smith, whose 2014 campaign ended early due to a foot injury. Cary Williams, released today by the Eagles, reportedly has interest in returning to Baltimore and makes some sense as a veteran target for the team.

AFC East Notes: Jets, Revis, Tannehill, Pats

March 3rd, 2015 at 1:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jets have been involved in “serious internal discussions” about the possibility of bringing back cornerback Darrelle Revis, with owner Woody Johnson very much involved in those talks, reports Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. The Jets’ interest in Revis is hardly news, but the closer we get to March 9 without an agreement in place between the Patriots and the star cornerback, the more likely it is that he reaches the open market next week.

Let’s round up a few more items related to the Jets and their AFC East rivals….

  • While there have been rumblings in recent weeks suggesting the Jets could target C.J. Spiller in free agency, the team would like to bring back Bilal Powell and will make a “sincere effort” to re-sign him, writes Rich Cimini of ESPNNewYork.com. Cimini estimates that Powell will land a deal that averages between $1.5MM and $2MM per year.
  • Brian Costello of the New York Post examines how new Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan will approach the team’s hole at cornerback this offseason.
  • Former Packers wide receiver Kevin Dorsey, who recently visited the Patriots, is working out for the Jets today, according to Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. Visits with the 49ers and Chiefs are next up on Dorsey’s schedule.
  • Ryan Tannehill said today that he has yet to sit down with the Dolphins to discuss a contract extension, tweets Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald. There’s no real rush for the Fins to get anything done, since Tannehill has one more year left on his rookie contract, and the club holds a team option for the 2016 season.
  • As Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com details, Patriots safety Devin McCourty spoke to ESPN’s Josina Anderson yesterday after the team announced that it was franchising kicker Stephen Gostkowski, rather than McCourty. The veteran safety didn’t say anything too noteworthy in addressing his contract situation, but acknowledged that not being tagged made it more “realistic” that he could end up somewhere besides New England.
  • The Patriots hired former 49ers special-teamer Bubba Ventrone today as an assistant special teams coach, as first reported by Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). Ventrone, who began his NFL career with the Pats, is just 28 years old, so the move from playing to coaching is a little surprising, but he hadn’t been under contract for the 2015 season.

Byron Maxwell Changing Agents

March 3rd, 2015 at 12:38pm CST by Luke Adams

12:38pm: Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports tweets that Maxwell is expected to hire Alvin Keels and/or Premier Sports & Entertainment for representation, noting that the firm has already started working on the cornerback’s behalf. McLane has tweeted that he “jumped the gun” on the Maxwell report, so it appears Dogra may not be in the picture after all. Either way, Maxwell’s new agent can’t officially be hired quite yet.

11:50am: With his unrestricted free agency just a week away, cornerback Byron Maxwell has made the unusual move of informing his agent, Jason Chayut, that he’ll be parting ways with him and seeking new representation, reports Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Per NFLPA bylaws, players must wait five days before hiring a new agent, so Maxwell won’t be able to officially appoint a new rep until this weekend.

When he is able to formally hire a new agent, Maxwell is expected to opt for Ben Dogra, formerly of CAA, according to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter). Dogra, who also represents Adrian Peterson and many other NFL players, joined Relativity Sports several weeks ago, as the agency’s co-CEO.

While it’s not unusual for a player to change agents as his free agency nears, making a move at the very last minute is a curious choice. Chayut and Maxwell’s former reps have spent the last year, including last month’s combine, gauging the value of their client, and would presumably have a leg up over a new agent. Considering Maxwell is projected to be the top cornerback in what may be a seller’s market, he’ll do very well regardless of who represents him, but a few million dollars could be at stake, depending on how negotiations play out.

Additionally, agents are allowed to begin talking to rival teams on behalf of their clients starting on Saturday, so depending on when Maxwell officially appoints Dogra as his new rep, he may not be able to immediately explore his market when that negotiating period opens.

The Eagles are regarded as a potential frontrunner for Maxwell, who isn’t expected to return to the Seahawks.

Cole Beasley, Cowboys Agree To Extension

March 3rd, 2015 at 11:54am CST by Luke Adams

The Cowboys and wide receiver Cole Beasley have agreed to terms on a multiyear extension that will keep Beasley under contract through the 2018 season, reports Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links). The four-year contract is worth $13.6MM, with $7MM in guarantees, including a $4MM signing bonus. Beasley can also increase the value of the deal to $15.1MM if he reaches certain escalators.

Getlin initially reported last week that the Cowboys and Beasley were discussing a new contract, and I suggested at the time that I didn’t think Dallas would go much higher than about $2MM per season. However, it looks like I undershot the wideout’s new salary, since the extension will pay him $3.4MM per year. Of course, as is the case with most NFL contracts, if the deal goes south, the team will have the opportunity to get out of it in the last year or two without paying the full amount.

Beasley, who turns 26 in April, was hardly the Cowboys’ most notable extension candidate at the wide receiver position — that honor belongs to Dez Bryant, who received the franchise tag from the team yesterday. Still, Beasley has developed into one of Tony Romo‘s more reliable targets over the last couple seasons. In 2014, the SMU product set career highs with 420 receiving yards and four touchdowns, while totaling 37 receptions.

Having take care of Beasley, who had been eligible for restricted free agency, the Cowboys will shift their focus to a handful of other pending free agents. Bryant’s situation doesn’t need to be addressed immediately now that he’s been franchised, but a number of other notable players, including DeMarco Murray, Doug Free, Justin Durant, and Rolando McClain are scheduled to reach the open market next Tuesday.

Panthers Re-Sign Colin Cole

March 3rd, 2015 at 11:37am CST by Luke Adams

The Panthers have reached an agreement with free-agent-to-be Colin Cole, keeping the veteran defensive tackle off the open market, reports John Clayton of ESPN.com (Twitter link via David Newton). According to Clayton, Cole is signing a one-year, $1.05MM contract to remain in Carolina.

Cole, who has been in the league since joining the Packers in 2004, will turn 35 this summer, but was still a regular contributor for the Panthers last season. In 16 games (10 starts), the Iowa product recorded 32 tackles and recovered a fumble.

For a player with Cole’s experience, the minimum salary for 2015 is $970K. The maximum signing bonus for a minimum salary benefit deal is $80K, for a total of $1.05MM. Because it’s a minimum salary benefit contract, the Panthers’ cap hit for Cole will be just $665K — the amount of a minimum salary for a two-year veteran ($585K), plus the $80K bonus.

Eagles Release Cary Williams

March 3rd, 2015 at 10:53am CST by Luke Adams

The Eagles have parted ways with a player who has started every game for the team during the last two seasons, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve terminated the contract of cornerback Cary Williams. As a vested veteran, Williams won’t have to pass through waivers before he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Williams, 30, inked a three-year, $17MM contract with the Eagles prior to the 2013 season, so he had one year remaining on that deal. He has been set to count against the team’s cap for $8.167MM in 2015, so by cutting him, the Eagles will create $6.5MM in cap savings — that was the amount of Williams’ base salary for the coming year. The move leaves the team with $1.667MM in dead money on the books.

While Williams’ performance in the Eagles’ secondary wasn’t great, he was far from a disaster, and he was certainly a workhorse for the club. In each of his two seasons in Philadelphia, Williams led all cornerbacks in defensive snaps, averaging over 1,180 plays per year. According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer (via Twitter), the veteran corner said today on Philadelphia radio that he wasn’t asked to take a pay cut, with the team simply deciding to move in another direction.

By cutting ties with Williams, the Eagles are moving toward overhauling their secondary, and particularly the cornerback position. Bradley Fletcher is also not expected to return, meaning the club will be looking for two new starters this offseason. The Eagles are viewed as a potential frontrunner for Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell, who will hit the open market next week.

As for Williams, he’ll have a modest head start on the slew of free agents who will be free to negotiate with new teams in a few days. According to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), the ex-Raven has “strong interest” in returning to Baltimore, and that would seem to be a nice fit, given the problems the Ravens had in the secondary last season.

Facebook/Twitter/RSS Feeds By Team

March 3rd, 2015 at 10:25am CST by Luke Adams

We’ve detailed how you can follow Pro Football Rumors on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, or using an RSS reader to ensure that you receive all of our updates, 365 days a year. If you prefer to only receive news about your favorite NFL team, PFR has you covered. Below are links to our Facebook, Twitter, and RSS pages and feeds for all 32 teams.

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Colts Sign Matt Hasselbeck To Extension

March 3rd, 2015 at 9:43am CST by Zachary Links

MARCH 3: Hasslebeck’s new one-year deal is worth $3MM, with a $1MM signing bonus, tweets Tom Pelissero of USA Today.

FEBRUARY 26: The Colts announced that they have signed quarterback Matt Hasselbeck to an extension, as Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tweets. Some expected that Hasselbeck would consider retirement, but he’ll give it a go for at least one more season.

The veteran has been praised as being a quality mentor for young starter Andrew Luck. The seasoned veteran will celebrate his 40th birthday on September 25th. Back in July, Hasselbeck explained that he had no intention of hanging up his cleats anytime soon.

“Ideally, that would be a dream come true,” Hasselbeck said. “There’s no timetable where I need to make a call on that, but I set a short term goal of finishing my contract. I’m close to accomplishing that and if I do, I’ll have to figure out a new goal.”

Hasselbeck was a sixth-round pick in 1998, and has played for the Packers, Seahawks, Titans, and Colts during over the course of the last decade and a half. While he has 152 career starts to his name, the 39-year-old has transitioned into a backup role late in his career. Last year, Hasselbeck was one of the highest-paid backup quarterbacks in the league with a $3.625MM salary.

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